UK-China Human Rights Dialogue

Baroness Thornton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What was discussed at the human rights dialogue held between the United Kingdom and China in May 2002.

Baroness Amos: The eighth round of the UK-China Human Rights Dialogue took place in Beijing on 15 May.
	The theme of this round was the management of ethnic minority affairs. In this context, the talks in Beijing were preceded by a four-day field trip to Gansu Province where the UK delegation visited both Tibetan and Muslim minority groups. The UK delegation included a senior British expert on race relations.
	At the main session of talks in Beijing, the UK delegation raised a wide range of human rights concerns including Tibet and Xinjiang; freedoms of expression, religion and association; Falun Gong; criminal justice issues, incudng the death penalty; North Korean refugees; co-operation with UN human rights mechanisms, including visits by special rapporteurs; the ratification of the ICECSR and ILO Conventions; the blocking of the BBC World Service website and Mandarin Service. The UK delegation also discussed the programmes of practical co-operation between the UK and China to promote human rights and the rule of law.
	They raised over 50 individual cases of concern.

Accidents Involving Police Cars

Lord Campbell of Croy: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many accidents involving police cars occurred in England and Wales in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The available information is set out below. The figures include all incidents in which a police vehicle sustained damage, ranging from minor collisions in police station yards through to more serious accidents on public roads.
	
		
			 Year Number of accidents 
			 1996–97 16,908 
			 1997–98 16,946 
			 1998–99 17,338 
			 1999–2000 18,068 
			 2000–01 19,266 
		
	
	Notes:
	(i) The information has been provided by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC), to which forces submit statistical returns.
	(ii) Data for 1996–97 are missing from one force.
	(iii) All figures are for each financial year.

Death of Paul Wright

Lord Jones: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they intend to publish the report of the independent investigation into the circumstances of Paul Wright's death at Leeds prison on 7 November 1996, ordered by Mr Justice Jackson on 27 June 2001.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: We welcome this report, which is today being placed in the Library together with our response to the five findings and 20 recommendations made in the report. The Prison Service has previously accepted partial liability for the death of Paul Wright because failure to provide proper medical treatment was a contributory factor to his death, and in October 2000 apologised to the family, followed by an out-of-court settlement in December 2000. This independent investigation provides a very thorough review of the circumstances surrounding the death of Paul Wright and associated issues. Two of the findings reflect conflicts of evidence that are unlikely ever to be resolved.
	This was a unique investigation in circumstances unlikely to be repeated, largely because changes made since 1996, including: provision of healthcare services in prison has been changed through a partnership between the Prison Service and the NHS at local, regional and national level; procedures for recruitment and supervision of prison medical officers have been improved, with training and qualification requirements tightened; and all self-inflicted deaths in prisons are now routinely investigated and investigation reports disclosed to families. In addition, a clinical review of the treatment provided to a prisoner dying in custody from natural causes routinely now takes place. Procedures for investigating all deaths in prison custody are currently under review. In parallel, a wider Home Office and government review of investigations and inquiries is taking place against a background of emerging jurisprudence from both the domestic and European courts. This investigation has provided some valuable insights which will help inform this debate, specifically in relation to the introduction of independence in future investigations.
	We hope that the changes which have been made show that we are trying to learn from what has happened as a result of our failure to look after Paul Wright in the way that we should have done.

Sex Industry: Immigration Act Powers

Lord Beaumont of Whitley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many women known to have been working in the sex industry have been deported in the last 18 months.

Lord Filkin: This information is not collected centrally and could be obtained only by examining the individual case files of every woman removed under Immigration Act powers over the period in question, which would incur disproportionate cost.

Sex Industry: Immigration Act Powers

Lord Beaumont of Whitley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What legal and social services are made available to women working in the sex industry after their detention and prior to their deportation.

Lord Filkin: Where a person has been arrested and taken to a police station, they will have access to the services of a duty solicitor. Where they are detained in a removals centre, they will have advice about how to contact one of the free legal services. In the case of a minor, the local social services would be informed automatically. They may also be brought in for other cases.

Sex Industry: Immigration Act Powers

Lord Beaumont of Whitley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What details of age and origin are available on women who have been known to have been working in the sex industry and who have been deported.

Lord Filkin: This information is not collected centrally and could be obtained only by examining the individual case files of every woman removed under Immigration Act powers over the period in question, which would incur disproportionate cost.

Boeing 747 Wreckage

Lord Monro of Langholm: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What plans there are for the disposal of the wreckage of Boeing 747 Pan Am 103 presently stored at Farnborough and in Lincolnshire; what is the cost of the storage at each site; and who is responsible for payment.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The Question relates to evidence in the Lockerbie trial. The prosecution of crime in Scotland is the responsibility of the Lord Advocate and I understand he will shortly be writing to the noble Lord about this issue.

Vehicle Registration Plates: EU Flag

Lord Rogan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether vehicle registration plates which incorporate the European Union flag are classified as an "outdoor advertisement" under the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations 1992.

Lord Rooker: All flags, including the European Union flag, are classified as outdoor advertisements and as such are controlled by the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations 1992. Under the regulations, advertisements on vehicles may be lawfully displayed without consent provided the vehicle is normally employed as a moving vehicle.

Millennium Dome

Viscount Astor: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 26 June (WA 138) that, "The division of proceeds between English Partnerships and the lottery has not been fully agreed", what the word "Lottery" refers to.

Lord Rooker: The word "Lottery" refers to the National Lottery represented by the Millennium Commission.

Special Educational Needs

Baroness Darcy de Knayth: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What policy decisions they are making on the basis of the apparent decrease in the likelihood that special educational needs pupils will be permanently excluded from schools.

Baroness Ashton of Upholland: We have no plans to change our policy based on one year's set of figures. We welcome the downward trend in the permanent exclusion of statemented pupils but will continue to monitor the figures closely.

Special Educational Needs

Baroness Darcy de Knayth: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How they explain the contradiction between the apparent decrease in the number of pupils who have special educational needs statements and who have been permanently excluded from schools and the increase in the number of pupils who have special educational needs statements and who are registered in pupil referral units.

Baroness Ashton of Upholland: Not all pupils registered in pupil referral units are excluded pupils, so it is not necessarily the case that trends in PRU pupil numbers would follow those for permanent exclusions whether for statemented pupils or more generally. We are pleased to see the apparent decrease in the numbers of statemented pupils permanently excluded. There have been changes in the way the figures are collected so we intend to continue to monitor the figures to see whether these figures are sustained.

Foot and Mouth Disease

Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the letter of 25 June from Lord Whitty to Baroness Byford which was placed in the Library of the House, whether during the foot and mouth outbreak in 2001, in addition to 220 veterinary surgeons employed in the State Veterinary Service, the Government were able to call upon the services of:
	(a) 60 veterinary surgeons employed as "additional temporary registrations for the foot and mouth outbreak";
	(b) 16 veterinary surgeons listed on the "supplementary veterinary register"; (c) 20 veterinary surgeons registered on the "temporary list"; and
	(d) 118 veterinary surgeons in the Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture Veterinary Service.

Lord Whitty: During the foot and mouth outbreak in 2001 the Government were able to call upon additional veterinarians as below:
	(a) 60 foreign government veterinary surgeons who received "additional temporary registrations for the foot and mouth outbreak" between 20 February and 31 March 2001.
	(b) None of the 16 veterinary surgeons listed on the "supplementary veterinary register" who are registered under Section 8 of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966. Under the terms of registration, these veterinarians are restricted to specific acts of veterinary surgery. Consequently, none was employed as a veterinary surgeon on the eradication of FMD.
	(c) None of the 20 veterinary surgeons on the "temporary list" who are registered under Section 7 of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966. Under the terms of registration, these veterinarians are restricted to specific acts of veterinary surgery. Consequently, none was employed as a veterinary surgeon on the eradication of FMD.
	(d) Three out of a total of 118 veterinary surgeons in the Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture Veterinary Service assisted in the eradication of FMD in Great Britain.

Livestock Movement: Camelids

Lord Hardy of Wath: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they intend to amend the current rules on movements of camelids.

Lord Whitty: Orders made today will simplify the current rules on livestock movements from 31 July. Camelids (including llamas) and zoo animals will no longer require movement licences or be subject to biosecurity requirements for livestock shows and sales. In addition, sheep dipping, tagging and scanning will no longer require a licence. The rules for multiple pick-ups and multiple drops-offs of livestock will also be simplifed.

Civil Service

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they remain in favour of a Civil Service Act to bring the Civil Service more directly under the oversight of Parliament; if not, why not; and if so, what are the reasons for the continuing delay in publishing a discussion paper on the proposal; and
	Whether they consider that it would be desirable to introduce a Civil Service Bill on the lines proposed by the Cabinet Secretary, Sir Richard Wilson, in his speech of 26 March.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: The Government's position on legislation for the Civil Service is as set out in their submission to the Committee on Standards in Public Life, copies of which are in the Libraries of the House.

Doncaster: Airport Station Proposal

Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What European state aids approvals are required in respect of a new station at the proposed Doncaster airport station on the Doncaster-Lincoln line.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: Proposals for a Doncaster airport station are at a very early stage. The need, or otherwise, for state aids approvals would depend on the funding arrangements for the station.

Driving Licences

Viscount Astor: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What are the criteria for designation for the purposes of exchangeable driving licences under Section 108(1) of the Road Traffic Act 1988.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: Before making a designation order under Section 108 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, the Secretary of State must be satisfied that the country making the request for designation has in place satisfactory provision for the granting of driving licences. This involves an assessment by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency and the Driving Standards Agency of the arrangements for driver testing and licensing, as well as the standard of the driving test, the arrangements for the withdrawal of licences for road traffic offences and a road safety analysis.

Driving Licences

Viscount Astor: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What countries have had their designation for the purposes of exchangeable driving licences under Section 108(1) of the Road Traffic Act 1988 removed (a) from 1992 to 1997; and (b) from1997 to date; and for what reasons; and
	On what basis they are no longer satisfied that Kenya does not qualify to be designated for the purposes of exchangeable driving licences under Section 108(1) of the Road Traffic Act 1988.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: From 1992 to 1997, no countries had their designation removed. From 1997 to date, only Kenya has been de-designated.
	Doubts about the authenticity of some Kenyan licences presented for exchange first arose in 1991. Discussions with the Kenyan authorities, including a visit to Nairobi in 1999 to establish verification procedures, failed to resolve continuing difficulties. Finally, following due notice and a period of consultation, the exchange arrangement was rescinded.

Driving Licences

Viscount Astor: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Which Commonwealth countries are not designated for the purposes of the definition of exchangeable driving licences under Section 108(1) of the Road Traffic Act 1988.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: The following Commonwealth countries are not designated for the purposes of the definition of exchangeable licences under Section 108(1) of the Road Traffic Act 1988:
	Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belize, Botswana, Brunei, Cameroon, Dominica, Fiji Islands, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and Grenadines, Samoa, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu and Zambia.

Questions for Written Answer

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What the problems were and are that have prevented them from answering the two Questions for Written Answer regarding the Civil Service, which were tabled on 7 May, and remain on the Order Paper nine weeks later.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: I replied on 11 July. I am sorry for the delay in answering these Questions.